In the Colonial era, when the British found the hot summer months hard to bear, khus root fibres were woven into mats to cover doors and windows and water was sprinkled on them from outside. This emitted fragrant and kept the rooms cool until the moisture vaporised. It was a luxury that the British rulers enjoyed in the subcontinent for years. Not only the British but the well-to-do locals too used khus mats for their cooling effect.

Khus (Vetiveria zinzanioides Linn.) or Vetiver in English is a type of aromatic grass which is believed to have its origin in India where it grows wild. Haiti, Java, Japan, China and Cuba also grow khus as well as produce its byproducts. Small industrial units have cropped up in these areas, which have opened new vistas of employment for the locals.

Khus has probably not been researched much in Pakistan; hence, its present status here is quite obscure. It is mostly confined to Multan, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Rawalpindi and Jhelum districts of Punjab and restricted to Thatta and Badin areas of Indus Delta . If it is cultivated in other areas too it can provide jobs to the locals from the farming areas to the value-added khus based goods.

The fragrant essential oil obtained from the plant root is used extensively in the perfume industry and in the manufacture of scented toiletries for its fixative qualities and fragrance. It is also used in the food industry as a flavouring agent. The essential oil is reddish dark brown when mature and has a woody, earthy smell that is almost musty. The oil has a strong odour and should be well diluted to avoid it being too overpowering in a blend.

Vetiver oil is used as part of the woody notes for luxury perfumes. The oil of vetiver, patchouli and sandalwood, in combination with jasmine and gardenia complex, is the base of the famous Crepe de Chine note. In addition to its importance in classical perfumery, vetiver oil is also used as base for many modern men’s colognes.

The nomadic tribes in India used khus extensively. A decoction of khus root was used to treat high fever, inflammation and sexual diseases; root paste was used for headaches, fever, diarrhoea and chronic dysentery; root ash was used to treat acidity; root juice was used as an anthelmintic and root vapour was used to treat malaria. Vetiver oil was used as a stimulant, diaphoretic and refrigerant; leaf paste was used for rheumatism and sprains; and root and stem juice was used for boils, burns, epilepsy, scorpion stings, snakebites and mouth ulcers.

Vetiver oil has a profoundly relaxing effect on the nervous system, relieving tension and stress; it aids in the treatment of emotional outbursts such as anger, anxiety, epileptic and hysteric attacks, restlessness, nervousness, etc. It can be used to good effect in the treatment of insomnia. It has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects that provide relief from inflammations in the circulatory and nervous systems.

When used in baths or in massages, vetiver is beneficial in the treatment of the symptoms of arthritis, rheumatism and muscular aches, dryness and cracking of skin, etc. Khus is used to create a tonic bath, which is the reason why it is often included in high quality soaps.

Vetiver oil also benefits the circulatory system, is stimulating and warming, especially when used in combination with massage. In skin care, the antiseptic and slightly astringent properties of vetiver can be used to good effect in the treatment of oily skin that is prone to spots.

Khus grass has a bright future in Pakistan as its use does not have any side-effects. It is encouraging to see that aroma therapists are now giving attention to khus whereas pharmaceutical companies are already using khus aroma in their syrups, though it is astonishing that Tibb-i-Unani is not making any significant use of the khus or its by-products currently which should be considered in future.